My Last Word (Hopefully) on Rep. Massa

Bill Maher was on Countdown last night, talking about Rep. Massa (see video below) and the term "snorkeling" was used to describe behavior that then Lt. Com. Messa engaged in while he was in the US Navy.

Guest Host Lawerence O'Donnell referenced Urban Dictionary for the definition (which I did not know) and there were nine definitions of the site. (For the sake of ease, here is the link which is not safe for work, home, or anyone who has friends that have gone snorkeling while on vacation that you want to be able to look in the eye in the future) Bill Maher, who is outspoken with his views on (well, everything) human sexuality was unfamiliar with the term as well.

(NB: The Maher segment was a followup to another piece that had been done on Countdown earlier in the show regarding Massa's claim that when asked by Larry King about his sexual preferences he should just ask his Navy buddies or his wife because this is 2010 and he isn't going to answer this question. That clip can be found here. You ask for a reference check, you are going to get a reference check. Plus, if Glenn Beck apologizes to his audience after interviewing you, you have to know that you are not the most stable of people.)

Anyway, Messa has become a punchline and is acting in a way that not only diminishes himself, and his party, but what the real story is.

"What is the real story?", you ask.

According to the Advocate (via WaPo) Massa had a pattern that party and elected officials were warned of his behavior. House GOP Members are calling for an investigation into this matter, largely because of the investigation into Rep. Mark Foley in 2006 (Page Scandal, history of abuse, et cetera) and they are right to call for it.

This is not a witchhunt for gay Congresspeople. This is about power, the abuse of power, and a sense of entitlement that allows the belief that a quid-pro-quo of sexual favors in turn for political benefits is acceptable.

As a moderate, as a New Yorker, and as someone who does believe in the power of republican democracy, these allegations do need to be heard and behavior such as this needs to stop.

Even if it is just a good ol' fashioned tickle fight.

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